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BackgroundThere is clinical evidence to show that sperm DNA damage could be a marker of sperm quality and extensive data exist on the relationship between DNA damage and male fertility status. Detecting such damage in sperm could provide new elements besides semen parameters in diagnosing male infertility. We aimed to assess sperm DNA fragmentation and oxidation and to study the association between these two markers, routine semen parameters and malondialdehyde formation.MethodsSemen samples from 55 men attending the Histology-Embryology Laboratory of Sfax Faculty of Medicine, Tunisia, for semen investigations were analysed for sperm DNA fragmentation and oxidation using flow cytometry. The Sperm was also assessed spectrophotometrically for malondialdehyde formation.ResultsWithin the studied group, 21 patients were nonasthenozoospermic (sperm motility ≥ 50%) and 34 patients were considered asthenozoospermic (sperm motility < 50%). A positive correlation was found between sperm DNA fragmentation and oxidation (p = 0.01; r = 0.33). We also found a negative correlation between sperm DNA fragmentation and some sperm parameters: total motility (p = 0.001; r = -0.43), rapid progressive motility (type a motility) (p = 0.04; r = -0.27), slow progressive motility (type b motility) (p = 0.03; r = -0.28), and vitality (p < 0.001; r = -0.65). Sperm DNA fragmentation was positively correlated with coiled tail (p = 0.01; r = 0.34). The two parameters that were found to be correlated with oxidative DNA damage were leucocytes concentrations (p = 0.01; r = 0.38) and broken neck (p = 0.02; r = 0.29). Sperm MDA levels were negatively correlated with sperm concentration (p < 0.001; r = -0.57), total motility (p = 0.01; r = -0.35) and type a motility (p = 0.03; r = -0.32); but not correlated with DNA fragmentation and DNA oxidation.ConclusionsOur results support the evidence that oxidative stress plays a key role in inducing DNA damage; but nuclear alterations and malondialdehyde don't seem to be synchronous.

This study was carried out to test the antioxidant effects of Quercetin on sperm parameters and antioxidant enzymes in male rats assessed in vitro after H(2) 0(2) -mediated sperm oxidative damage. Spermatozoa were incubated with Quercetin (10, 100 and 200 μm), H(2) O(2) alone (100 μm) and Quercetin (100, 200 μm) + H(2) O(2) (100 μm) repectively, for 3 h at 32 °C. After that, sperm parameters (motility, viability and abnormal morphology), malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase levels were determined. We found that exposure to H(2) O(2) let to significant increase in lipid peroxidation (LP) and abnormal morphology associated with significant decrease in sperm motility, viability and antioxidant enzymes activities. When Quercetin was added in culture medium, it improved activities of antioxidant enzymes and protected spermatozoa against the deleterious effect of H(2) O(2) on sperm parameters and LP. This study demonstrated that supplementation with Quercetin could protect spermatozoa against H(2) O(2) -mediated sperm damage.

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